New babies not only bring joy but also many changes for families and a great excuse to start going green. As parents want the best or their baby, we often find ourselves looking for products that are healthy to be around our babies, baby proofing our homes, ways to save money and ideas for living a healthier lifestyle. Raising an eco-friendly baby is not only safer for baby but also reduces the impact on the environment. Not to mention, when you raise a green baby your child is off to a great start to continue living green as they grow.
Along with babies come a huge list of baby products stores want you to purchase. The truth is, a baby really has minimal needs; breast milk or formula, diapers, car seat, safe place to sleep and clothes. Now, as a mother of five I know there are some really cute baby items on the market, but the key to raising a green baby is living sustainable (which can be hard with all of the baby products on the market).
There are many ways to raise a green baby and here are 4 tips to raising a green baby!
4 Ways to Raise a Green Baby
1. To breastfeed or not to breastfeed?
Many new moms find themselves trying to decide between bottle feeding or breastfeeding. It is a choice up to each mom, but the mom looking to offer baby the best nutrition and reduce her environmental impact will pick breastfeeding. Why? Breastfeeding is free, healthy for mom and baby and has no environmental impact. Breastfeeding is green.
Not all moms choose to breastfeed but still want a natural option. Organic infant formula is a great alternative and there are several organic baby formula brands.
- Nature’s One® introduced the first organic baby formula over a decade ago. Since that time, the company has established an excellent reputation among parents & healthcare professionals and continues to be the leader in organic pediatric medical foods. Nature’s One® stands against businesses where corporate greed motivates companies to find lower cost ingredients without regard to nutrition or long term health effects
- Earth’s Best baby formula is patterned after breast milk. Earth’s Best Organic Infant Formulas are specially blended without the use of growth hormones, steroids, antibiotics, dangerous pesticides or chemical fertilizers. They are nutritionally complete to provide 100% of the essential nutrients doctors recommend for babies during the first 12 months of life.
- Similac Organic baby formula is certified USDA Organic and made with wholesome organic milk and other organic ingredients.
2. Disposable, biodegradable or cloth diapers- According to research baby will use approx 6,000 diapers before toilet training, and that disposable diapers take 200-500 years to decompose, making them not eco-friendly at all. But cloth diapers require water and energy for washing. Biodegradable diapers are made with plant-based plastics and are and are compostable. Biodegradable diapers do not to break down in landfill conditions, there are options to compost them such as using a composting toilet or a conditioned composting area.
A diaper study concluded cloth diapers have only 53% the ecological footprint of disposable diapers. Cloth diapers seem to be the best option for a truly eco-friendly diaper. To further reduce the environmental pack of cloth diapers, wash the diapers by hand instead of in a washing machine or wash in an energy efficient machine and hang them to dry instead of using a dryer. Look for cloth diapers made from an eco-friendly material such as hemp, bamboo, or organic cotton.
3. Dress baby green- When shopping for baby clothing look for bamboo or organic cotton clothing. While the flashy designer brands are cute and in style, most are not made with organic cotton or natural resources. Check consignment stores for second hand baby clothes, as they will be the cheapest.
4. Create an eco nursery- If your baby is lucky enough to have a nursery, creating an eco-friendly nursery creates a safe haven for baby that is safe and cozy. Since babies are more susceptible than adults to toxic chemicals, it is important to keep the nursery as natural as possible. If you need o shop for eco-friendly nursery furniture, make sure all furniture is sustainable. Nursery furniture is available in many eco and baby friendly choices, so you are sure to find furnishings to create the perfect eco environment.
An organic crib mattress with natural fiber (organic cotton, hemp, or untreated wool) bedding can be used to reduce and eliminate exposure to the synthetic chemicals. See the naturepedic organic cotton crib mattress.
Instead of carpet, use natural, sustainable, or organic flooring. Hardwood floors are a good choice in an eco nursery for indoor air quality, because carpets often contain toxic chemicals and they trap dirt and allergens. Bamboo and cork are also eco friendly flooring options.
When decorating the nursery make sure you use no or low-VOC paints. You may like Benjamin Moore eco friendly paint. Look for eco products made from recycled and reclaimed materials to decorate nursery walls.
BabyEarth.com– has a nice seletion of eco friendly baby furniture and other eco baby items.